Morning journal and courier., 1887-04-02
Wew S4apen @ailg ggprning guprnal and Gnnrier.
said applies equally well to this purpose of

said applies equally well to this purpose of the defendants. The workmen named have just as good right to work for the corpora tion as the defendants have and their right is entitled to the same consideration and the same protection. Then there are these fur ther considerations: It is combination not against capital nor employers, but against ellowworkmen-menw whose earnings are comparatively small and who presumably used all their earnings for the support of themselves and their families. They are ordinarily poor men and men whose entire capital consists in their trade and time. It is proposed wantonly to deprive them of a livelihood and practically of all means of support. If 8 capitalist is driven from his business he has other re- sources, but the poor mechanic, driven from his employment, and, as is often the case, deprived of employment elsewhere, is com pelled to see his loved ones suffer or depend upon charity. It is also combination of many to impoverish and oppress few. The weaker party needs and must receive the protection of the law. If In any case it is criminal for many to combine to do what anyone may lawfully do singly, it would seem that this would be such case. Num-
 bers can accomplish what one man cannot. evil as well good, and that is the reason of the combination. The law encourages combination for good and combinations by workmen to better their condition by
 
 and should be encouraged. But combina- tions for evil purposes, whether by one class of men or another, are detrimental to the public veal and cannot be regarded with favor by the courts. But combinations for good purposes may be prevented and when
 their power is sought to be used to harm
 their fellow men, to deprive others of their
 just rights, then not the combination, but
 the use of it, becomes criminal. In such use
 there is large element of wantonness and
 malice. Any one man, or any one Of several
 men acting independently, is powerless, but
 when several combine and direct their united
 energies to the accomplishment of bad
 purpose the combination is formidable. Its
 power for evil increases as it's number 1n-
 creases. No one can drive these workmen from their situations. Numbers if allowed
 their will may do it. The intention by one
 man so long as he does nothing is not a crime which the law will take cognizance ot
 and so two of any number of men acting
 separately. But when several men form the intent and come together and agree to carry
 it into execution the is changed. The agreement is a step in the direction of ac- complishing the purpose. The comb1na- tion becomes dangerous and subVerslVe or the rights of others and the law wisely says it is crime. It is no answer to say the conspiracy was for lawful purpose, to better their own condition, to fix and advance their rate of wages and furth- CT their own material interest. It IS certain ly true that they had 8 right to such pur pose and to use all lawful means to carry It into effect, and so a purpose to acquire prop erty is lawful so far as it coRtemplates lawful means only. But if it contemplates the &C., theft, fraud or injustice, the end does not sanctify the means. Neither will these defendants be permitted to advance their material interests or otherwise better their condition by any such reprehensble means. They had a right to request the Darlington Publishing company to discharge it's workingmen and employ themselves and to use all proper argument ill support of their request. But they had not the right to say ''You shall do this or we will ruin your business. Much less had they right to ruin it's business" In such a case the direct and primary object must be regarded as the destruction of the business The fact that it is designed as means to an end, and that end in itself considered law ful one, does not divest the transaction of it's criminality. We will also notice that 1t is alleged that the conspiracy contemplated means to the end sought !, That word is not easily defined. It is fre- quently spoken of passive only, let alone policy, withdrawal of all business intercourse and fellowship. If that is it's only meaning it will be difficult to l find anything in it criminal. We may gath l sr some idea of it's real meaning, however, by reference to the circumstances in which | the word originated. Those circumstances are thus narrated by Mir. Justin H. Mo l Jarthy, sn Irish gentleman of learning and 1 ability, who will be recognized as good au- ! ,hority. In his work entitled England l Under Gladstone'' he says: "The l strike was supported by form of action, or rather inaction, which so became historical Captain Boycott was n FOp1iahOoan n Of ord Farna ! and farmer of Lough Mask, in the wild | and beautiful district of Connemara. In his l capacity agent he had served notices upon Lord Esrne's tenants and the tenantry sud l denly retaliated in 8 most unexpected way by, in the language of schools and society, | sending Captain Boycott to Coventry in a | very thorough manner. Thepopulation of | the region for miles around resolved not to l nave anything to do with him and as far as 1 hey could prevent not to allow anyone else | o have anything to do with him. His life | appeared to be in danger; he had to claim l police protection. His servants fled from linn as servants flee from their masters in ome plague-stricken Italian city. The aw- ul sentence of communication could | hardly have rendered him more help essly alone for 8 time; no one would | upply him with food. He and his wife had o work in their own fields themselves in | most unpleasant imitation of Throcritian
  heir grim eclayon in their deserted fields Tith the shadows of the armed constabulary yer at their heels. The Orangemen of the orth heard of Captain Boycott and his suf erings and the way in which he was holding | is ground, and they organized assistance nd sent him down armed laborers from Uls er. To prevent civil war, the authorities ad to send force of soldiers and police to 4ough Mask, and Captain Boycott's harvest IS were brought in and his potatoes dug by he armed Ulster laborers guarded always V the little army"
 If this is correct picture the thing we all boycott originally signified violence if | ot murder. If the defendants in their hand ills and circulars used the word in it's origi- | al sense, in it's application to the Darlington | company, there can be no doubt f their criminal intent We prefer, how yer, to believe they used it in a modified ense. As an importation from foreign ountry, we may presume that they intended ; in milder sense-in sense adapted to the avs, institutions and temper of our people. Il that sense it may not have been crlml- al. But even here, if it means as some igh in the confidence of the trades union ssert, absolute ruin to the business of the erson boycotted, unless he yields, then it criminal. Instances are not wanting where the boycott has been attended with l nore or less violence, and it cannot be de- l jed that the natural tendency is, especially Then applied by the ignorant and vicious, to ttempt to make it successful by force. It % often leads to serious disturb nces of the peace and even murder. We re 10th, however, to assume that these de- endants intended any such conse-
 uences. Nevertheless it is dangerous in- to use, and if those instigating nd resorting to it do not of their own accord ake netice of it's peril and voluntarily aban- on it's use, as we sincerely hope they will, he courts at no distant day will be called pon to recognize it's dangerous tendency and reat it accordingly.
 From these considerations it is apparent nat the purpose of this conspiracy, or the leans by which it was to be accomplished, r both, were not only unlawful but as some authorities express it, "was in some degree riminal."
 Contemplated Trip by MT Sargent.
 MT. J. B. Sargent, the manufacturer, has D contemplation the project of making rip around the world, his intention being, hould he decide in the affirmative in the natter, to leave in a few weeks. His pur- 'ose is to inaugurate the trip by journey westward through the United States visiting